About Dr. Reena Singh
A Varanasi-based visual artist whose painting practice brings together devotion, cultural memory and contemporary imagination.
A life shaped by art and inquiry
Visual artist, doctoral researcher and educator rooted in the living artistic and spiritual traditions of Varanasi.
Dr. Reena Singh is a seasoned visual artist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Her work brings rigorous studio painting together with scholarly research. She holds a Ph.D., M.F.A. and B.F.A. in Painting from Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, and for over two decades has taken part in national exhibitions, international residencies and academic seminars.
- Education
- Ph.D., M.F.A., B.F.A. in Painting
- University
- Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
- Honour
- Rashtriya Mahila Kalaratna, 2026
A continuing artistic journey
Dr. Singh's artistic presence spans over twenty years of active studio practice. Her documented participation in art events begins in the late 1990s and continues into 2026. These experiences have brought her into dialogue with artists, master painters, educational institutions and audiences across diverse settings, from universities in Varanasi to art camps and festivals in Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and Nepal.
Her solo exhibitions titled Samarpan at Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow and Jawahar Kala Kendra (J.K.K.), Jaipur in 2014, alongside solo exhibitions in New Delhi (Abhyuday at AIFACS Gallery), mark vital milestones in her career.
Her doctoral research investigated Myth and Fantasy in Modern Indian Painting.
This scholarship underpins her canvases. Traditional mythological symbols, such as the sacred peacock (Mayur), the bovine grace of Kamadhenu, the lotus of devotion and the ancient ghats of Varanasi, are recontextualised as modern aesthetic statements.
Academic qualifications
- Ph.D. in Painting Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi Dissertation on Myth and Fantasy in Modern Indian Art
- M.F.A. in Painting Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi Studio Painting and Advanced Composition
- B.F.A. in Painting Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi Drawing, oil painting and Indian art history
Pedagogy and teaching
Dr. Singh served for five years as a Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) in Painting and Fine Arts at Happy Model School, Varanasi (2011 to 2015), mentoring young students in visual appreciation, classical technique and creative confidence. She regularly conducts workshops, demonstrations and jury evaluations across northern India.
In October 2026 she was conferred the title Rashtriya Mahila Kalaratna at the 20th International Kala Parv in Tonk, Rajasthan.